Baby Chrome

Template:127 Japan The Baby Chrome (ベビー・クローム) was a 3x4 camera made by the Japanese company Optochrom. It is often called Tsubasa Baby Chrome, but a 1938 ad (appeared in 9/1938 issue of Asahi Camera, visible at this page) called it "Baby Chrome" in short. It was offered in two variations:

• with a New Gold f/6.3 lens (18 yen)
• with a New Gold f/4.5 lens (33.50 yen)

The case was sold 4.50 yen.

The Baby Chrome had a black bakelite body and a tubular optical finder. There was a big helical ring, with the serial number engraved at the bottom. It was probably used for focusing. On the right of the viewfinder was what looks like a body release. On the ad's picture, the shutter was marked TSUBASA at the top and NEW GOLD at the bottom, with a logo on the right (same markings on a body sold at an ebay auction). The shutter was called Tsubasa and announced with B-10-25-100 or maybe B-25-50-100 speeds (barely readable).

The Baby Chrome has also been observed, the shutter plate marked OPTOCHROM SHUTTER at the top with the logo between both words, and NEW GOLD at the bottom (see here at Asacame). In that case, the shutter speeds were B-25-50-150.

Links

• A page at Asacame, with a Baby Chrome, mistaken for an Olympic
• Old Japanese ads, including the Tsubasa range